[Sca-cooks] Pastry cases - baking blind?

Fri Apr 16 09:17:55 PDT 2004

> >-----Original Message-----
> >
> >IIRC, Master Martino uses a covered pie shell
> filled with flour as the
> >first step in preparing live blackbirds in a
> pie.  The bottom is cut
> >out, the flour removed, the blackbirds
> inserted and then the pie shell
> >is placed over a second pie.  You get the
> effect of the birds flying out
> >of the pie and still are able to serve from
> the shell.
> >
> >Bear
> 
Here is a true story about blackbird pie:

Long ago, back in the days when Conrad von
Regensburg was Baron of Lyondemere, there used to
be a canton in the heart of the Barony of the
Angels called Greywinds, in an area mythically
called Hollywood.  The people of this canton were
very nice, creative people and everyone who knew
them enjoyed their company.

When it came time to celebrate the anniversary of
the forming of their canton, the Seneschal, Lady
Luxandra of Altumbria, called her people into
council and asked them, "We must needs celebrate
our anniversary with a splendid tournament. But
where can such an event be held? Most of our 
local parks are either the size of a miser's 
heart or else in dangerous territory where even
Angels fear to tread. Oh, what can we do?"

And so did the people of the canton go out and
search their land for a park large enough to hold
a tournament and safe enough to attract people
from other areas to attend their celebration.
After much searching and seeking, they did find a
perfect park to hold their anniversary, called
Roxbury Park in the hills of Beverly. However, it
lay outside their land, on the border between the
Barony of the Angels and the Barony of
Lyondemere.

Before they announced their plans to the Known
World, they sought the counsel of their baron,
Damon of the Lake that Flames, who assured them
that the park was within his territory and that
all their plans were acceptable to him.
Unfortunately, one month before their anniversary
was to be held, Lyondemere did invade Angels
territory and did claim that park as their
territory, holding a tournament there as proof of
their claim.

The autocrat of the anniversary cried upon 
hearing this news, "Oh what shall we do now? Our
announcement has already been printed in the 
Crown Prints and there will not be another
published until after our event. Oh what shall we
do?" "Fear not", said their seneschal, "we are
just a small canton with no fighters to speak of.
They will not notice if we hold our tournament
there."

And so they went forward with their plans.  The
day of the event dawned beautifully. The sun
reigned warmly in the azure Caidan skies. As the
people of Greywinds went about their business,
setting up their event, several messages were 
sent to the autocrat. The first being that the
King and Queen were ill and were unable to 
attend. The second being that the Baron's wain 
had broken and that they would be late, but to
start the event without them.  So, at the
appointed time, did Greywinds begin their
tournament, with the Seneschal, Lady Luxandra
standing in proxy of the Baron.

After the Herald called the populace to attend 
the words of the Seneschal, suddenly there came a

clamor from behind the crowd. The crowd parted as
a procession of Lyondemarines came forward, with
Baron Conrad in the lead. Looking sternly at the
good people of Greywinds, Baron Conrad was heard
to say, "You people are trespassing on my
territory. For this, you will pay! I give you
until Coronation Day next to send me your
tribute!" Upon saying that, did he stalk off with
his entourage in tow.

When Baron Damon arrived on site later that day,
Lady Luxandra did seek him out and informed him 
of all that had occurred previously. "Do not
worry. I will take this before the King and he
will clear this matter up for us." Then a thought
came to Baron Damon. "Did Baron Conrad state what
kind of tribute that he wanted?" "No."  "Well,
then," said Damon, "you are free to pay whatever
you want to pay."

By the time Coronation Day had arrived, Baron
Damon had arranged with the Crescent Herald to do
business before the King. Approaching His 
Majesty, Baron Damon brought out a map of Caid 
and placed it before the King. "Your Majesty,"
asked Damon, "is not this a map of Your Kingdom
with all the Baronial borders drawn as You have
previously decreed?"

His Majesty looked at the map and agreed that it
was. "Would Your Majesty please have the Baron of
Lyondemere called forward?" His Majesty signalled
his Herald to do so.  After Conrad came forward
and did his courtesy to his King, did Damon ask,
"Was it not agreed previously that all lands west
of this road, numbered 405, were to belong to
Lyondemere and all lands east of this road were 
to belong to Angels?" "Yes it was," said his
Majesty.

"Then on what side of this road would You say
Roxbury Park was?" "Why to the East," said his
Majesty, looking at Conrad. "What say you,
Conrad?"  Conrad took the map in hand and turned
it this way and that. "Why your Majesty!" he
declared. "I have been reading this map
upside-down! My apologies to both of you!" His
Majesty looked at Conrad pointedly, "Do not do so
again."

Then, with His Majesty's permission, did Lady
Luxandra and the good people of Greywinds come
forward and address Conrad. "Your Excellency, you
asked for tribute and we are prepared to give it
to you in three parts. The first will be now. The
second before the banquet begins. The third 
before the revel begins. The explanation will 
come after that." With that she handed him six
shiny, new pennies.

Before the banquet began, she handed him a 
bottle, sometimes called a hip-flask, filled 
with a brown liquid that burned the throat.

Before the revel began, she gave him a pie that
made some very odd sounds, like
"Chiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrppp, chirp, chirp, chirp,
chirp! Chiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrppp, chirp, chirp,
chirp, chirp!"

Then did she and her people begin to sing: "Sing 
a song of six pense. A pocket full of rye.
Four-and-twenty black birds baked in a pie." 
Baron Conrad began to laugh and laugh. After he
regained his composure, he brought out his eating
dagger and said, "I just have to see these black
birds!" Chiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrppp, chirp, chirp,
chirp, chirp!"  Conrad thrust his dagger into the
pie. "Chiiiiiirr ...." and the pie went silent.

Conrad looked dismayed and cried, "I think I
killed it!" Hastily, he tore open the pie and
discovered 23 black velvet, stuffed blackbirds 
and one mechanically operated blackbird that had
been stabbed directly through the battery.

It was quite a while before he regained his
composure again.

This is as I saw it and proves that if you want
to ask for tribute, you should specify what you
want, or be prepared to take what is given.

Huette

=====
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they 
shall never cease to be amused.

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